A C T O R S || OS 02

60. Zac Efron | Haunted By The Past

By : allthingsfangirl101 | Tumblr

Zac's been different lately. He hasn't been angry. He hasn't been drinking out of control again. He hasn't touched drugs since he went through rehab. But something's wrong. I try and ask him but he just smiles, shakes his head, and says he's fine.

I woke up to my phone ringing. I caught a glimpse of the clock on my bedside table as I answered my phone.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice full of sleep.

"Shit," I heard Zac mumble. "Sorry, babe. I forgot it's like 4 am back home. I didn't mean to wake you. I'm so sorry."

"Zac?" I interrupted his nervous rambling as I sat up. "Baby? Are you okay? Why are you calling me this late?"

"I'm so sorry, babe," Zac sighed. "I just... I was filming my Netflix special and..."

"You never have to apologize," I chuckled. I leaned against my bed frame and tucked my legs up to my chest. "What's going on, baby?"

"Are you sure?" He hesitated. "It's late... Well, early and I know how you don't sleep well when I'm gone and..."

"Zac," I interrupted him. "If something's wrong, I want you to tell me. I don't care what time it is."

"Damn," Zac chuckled. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," I giggled. "So, what's going on?"

"I just feel like," he hesitated.

"Baby," I said gently when he didn't continue. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

Zac chuckled before clearing his throat. "I feel like everywhere I go, someone is throwing my past in my face. They are always asking me about what rehab was like, why I left Disney, what I'm going to do next. It's getting too much. And remember when I used to talk about a pull?"

"Yeah," I said, nerves and sadness flooding my body. "You used to say that you had a pull to drugs for the numbness."

"Well," he cleared his throat, "the pull is back. I can't resist it, Y/N. And I'm trying. I swear! I haven't used since you helped me through rehab. When I promised you that I would never use again, I meant it. I haven't even thought about it since you gave me a second chance because you know I would never do anything to lose you. But... It's getting harder and harder. I haven't taken anything, Y/N. I swear. I wouldn't do something stupid to risk losing you. You are the most important thing to me but..."

"I believe you," I said, trying to comfort him with just those four words. "I know you meant it when you promised you would never take anything. I believe you."

"I walked into a pub the other day," Zac blurted out. I heard him take a shaky breath as he waited for me to respond.

"Zac, baby, we've talked about this. A drink every once in a while is fine."

"I just can't have more than three in a night," Zac sighed. "I know. I didn't have a drink. I just walked in."

"And that's okay," I tried to reassure him.

"But," he stuttered. "Y/N, I haven't walked into a bar since that night."

Zac and I have been dating for five years now. Eighteen months ago, Zac fell off the wagon when he got arrested for a DUI. He had drugs in his system and a high blood-alcohol level. He was sent to a three-month rehab program. While he was there, he made me a promise. He said that he loved me more than the feeling drugs and alcohol gave him, so he'd give it up. All of it. We agreed that he would continue rehab, go to a support group, and if he went to a bar, he'd be with me, his brother, or someone who can make sure he doesn't drink too much.